Frameless shipping container

ABSTRACT

A frameless shipping container adapted to be mounted on a railroad flatcar for preventing vandalism and accidental damage to a plurality of heavy articles, such as vehicles, that are separately supported by the container in vertical stacked relationship. The container is completely enclosed except for one end which is open to receive the articles. The container includes a pair of inwardly directed article engaging and supporting torsion beams which serve the double function of supporting the associated articles in tiers and acting as torsion members which evenly distribute torsional forces and minimize wracking of the containers. The vertical weight supporting side walls and end wall are fabricated from a plurality of sheet metal panels each having a channel formed therein. The sheet stock for each of the panels are identically dimensioned and differ only after the channels have been formed therein in that certain panels have one narrow flanges directed outwardly whereas other panels have their narrow flanges directed inwardly, and certain of the panels have fork lift receiving openings therein.

United States Patent 1191 Fylling et al.

1451 Apr. 2, 1974 1 1 FRAMIILESH SHIPPING (.DN'IAINER [75] Inventors: Donald R. Fylllng, San Jose; John R.

Elnarsson, Los Gatos; Donald W. Youmans, San Jose, all of Calif.

[52] US. Cl. 312/351, 105/366 C, 105/368 R, 206/46 M, 206/65 R, 220/15 [51] Int. Cl B65d 7/46, B65d 85/68 [58] Field oi Search 211/13; 105/366, 363, 367, 105/368 R, 409-411, 368 T; 220/15, 1 V;

296/1 A, 35 A; 214/38 C, 38 CA, 38 CC, 40,

41, 390, 392; 206/46 R, 46 M, 46 T, 65 R; 312/351 OTHER PUBLICA'I'IONS Article, Washington Daily News, pg. 47, Feb. 5, 1971.

Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Attorney, Agent, or Firm-A. J. Moore; C. E. Tripp [57] ABSTRACT A frameless shipping container adapted to be mounted on a railroad flatcar for preventing vandalism and accidental damage to a plurality of heavy articles, such as vehicles, that are separately supported by the container in vertical stacked relationship. The container is completely enclosed except for one end which is open to receive the articles. The container includes a pair of inwardly directed article engaging and supporting torsion beams which serve the double function of supporting the associated articles in tiers and acting as [56] R fe es Cit d torsion members which evenly distribute torsional UNITED STATES PATENTS forces and minimize wracking of the containers. The 59 H 105 T vertical weight supporting side walls and end wall are 3x3 2232 1; 3 3 fabricated from a plurality of sheet metal panels each 2442'459 6/1948 Fowler R x having a channel formed therein. The sheet stock for 2521'088 9/1950 Phelps 206,46 M each of the panels are identically dimensioned and dif- 2,529,641 11 1950 Torbum... 105 409 x er f yg tqjhfi phan aygbgqnfg d therein 3,095,831 7/1963 Carlson.... 105/410 in that certain panels have one narrow flanges directed 3,159,113 12/1964 Schultz 105/368 R outwardly whereas other panels have their narrow 2 3/l965 y 1 105/363 R flanges directed inwardly, and certain of the panels 3,319,585 5/1967 Pulcrano 105/409 have fork lift receiving openings therein 3,370,552 2/1968 Podesta et a1... 105/368 R 3,410,228 11/1968 Burr et al 105 409 11 Claims, 12 Drawlng Flgures PATENTEH APR 2 19M D W. YOUMANS INVENTORS T. I I DONALD R. FYLLINGuJOHN R. EINARSSON 2 DONAL 7 AGENT PAIENTEDAPR 21914 11801; 177

sum 5 or 5 m T1 1 E 1 U FRAMELESS SHIPPING CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to shipping containers and more particularly relates to a frameless, relatively light railroad shipping container for compactly supporting a tier of several heavy articles, such as motor vehicles, while protecting the vehicles from vandalism and accidental damage.

2. Description of Prior Art Vehicle shipping containers for use on railroad flatcars are known in the art but include complex external frame structures which are torsionally flexible and tend to localize torsional forces thereby reducing the effective life of the containers. Also, the manufacturing costs of the prior art railroad containers are higher than desired because the prior art units must be made as one assembly, as compared to the shipping container of the present invention which may be made from a plurality of sub-assemblies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The frameless vehicle shipping container of the present invention is relatively inexpensive and light in weight because of the absence of a frame. Also, because of the use of panel type walls and the absence of a frame, the containers may be constructed on an assemblyline basis by first forming a plurality of subassemblies which are subsequently brought together on an assembly line thereby greatly reducing the manufacturing cost of the shipping container. In order to comply with minimum torsional, lateral, and longitudinal stress requirements, the upper tiers of vehicles are supported on V-shaped box beams which act as torsion members. The V-shaped box beams when welded to the side and end walls cooperate to minimize resilient wracking of the carriers and also cooperate with the other components to satisfy all other container strength requirements.

The importance of the torsion bar characteristics of the V-shaped box beams will be more fully appreciated when it is realized that the bed of railroad car is constantly shifting and swaying as the car moves along its tracks. The reason for the constant shifting is that the tracks and their supporting surfaces are not always true, and cause substantial lateral movement of the car. The resilient torsional action of the V-shaped box beams resists this constant swaying of the cars by tending to hold the container walls in their undeflected configuration. The torsion beams also serve to more evenly distribute the torsional strains throughout the length of the containers thereby increasing the life of the containers.

Each container also includes a weather-tight roof that is constructed as a separate component and is rigidly secured to the closed end wall and side walls. The roof is of thin walled corrugated material and may be made of different heights to accommodate articles of different sizes.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a frameless railroad shipping container with side walls fabricated from panels formed from identically dimensioned sheet metal stock.

Another object is to provide a container having elongated horizontally extending torsion bars welded to sheet metal side walls for equalizing torsional stresses throughout the length of each wall.

Another object is to provide an improved method of fabricating a frameless railroad shipping container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the vehicle shipping containers of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2 illustrating the internal construction of the container.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3, certain parts being cut away.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the corner wall panels.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the intermediate wall panels.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken along lines 8-8 of FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrating the construction of one of the restraint sub-assemblies.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 99 of FIGS. 5 and 11 illustrating one of the rear restraint reinforcing members and further illustrating the restraint connected to a fragment of the vehicle frame, the restraint latch being shown in its latched position.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along lines 10l0 of FIGS. 4 and 8, certain parts being cut away and the latch being shown in its latched position.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged side elevation with certain parts cut away illustrating the restraint of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a perspective illustrating the structure for fastening one corner of the shipping container to a railroad car.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the preferred form of the invention four of the shipping containers 20 (FIG. 1) of the present invention are loaded with automobiles or other types of vehicles V when the containers 20 are supported on the ground, and are thereafter lifted onto a railroad flatcar 22 (FIG. 12) either by a crane (not shown), or by a fork lift vehicle such as the well known lumber carriers which straddle the containers 20 and railroad car during the loading and unloading operations. Three vehicles V are positioned in tiers above each other, and are firmly anchored within their containers 20 from vertical, transverse, and longitudinal movement. The containers are firmly anchored to the flatcar, are spaced about three inches apart on the flatcar, and are oriented so that the two end containers have their open ends 26 facing each other and their closed end walls 28 disposed adjacent the front and rear ends, respectively, of the flat car. In this way the vehicles V within the four containers 20 on each flatcar are enclosed and accordingly are protected from injury and vandalism.

Although the containers 20 have been specifically designed to handle automobiles or vehicles V, and the specification will refer to vehicles as the articles being handled, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is notlimited to handling vehicles but also includes the handling of other heavy articles.

Each shipping container 20 (FIG. 1) comprises an end wall 28, two side walls 30 and 32, a roof 33, a floor or lower tier 34, an intermediate tier 36, and an upper tier 38. As best shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, each side wall 30 and 32 is constructed from two corner panels 40 and four intermediate panels 42, while the end wall 28 is constructed from two corner panels 40 and a center plate 44. The panels 40 and 42 are each formed from identical twelve guage sheet metal stock that, in the perferred embodiment, is 45 inches wide and 120 inches long. The panels 40 and 42 (FIGS. 6 and 7) both have 8 inches X 2.5 inches channels 46 and 48, respectively, formed therein. The panels 40 and 42 differ only in that a narrow 1.5 inch flange S of each corner panel 40 is turned inwardly whereas the same size flange 52 of each intermediate panel 42 is turned outwardly. The panels also differ in that the corner side wall panels 40 and the adjacent intermediate side wall panels 42 have slots 54 cut therein to receive fork lift tines, or books, of the loading vehicle (not shown). The center plate 44 of the rearwall 28 is slightly shorter than the outer panels so as to provide clearance for couplings which are located at both ends of the railroad car and project upwardly from the floor of the car. Because of the lack of a frame and the use of similar panels for all three walls, it will be apparent that the panels of each wall may be placed on flat, horizontal surfaces and be easily welded together as sub-assemblies thereby greatly reducing manufacturing costs.

Included in each side wall sub-assembly are longitudinally extending V-shaped torsion box beams 60,60a, and 64,64a. The torsion beams 60 and 60a have flanged portions 66,66a and 68,68a (FIG. 3) which are aligned with the associated slots 54 in the side wall panels and are welded to the associated walls. In order to provide additional support for the torsion beams 66,66a a plurality of generally V-shaped gusset plates 70,70a are welded within the associated torsion beams and to the panel channels 46,48 adjacent each side of the slots 54, and also to the channels 46 which define the corners of the open end 26 of the container 20. In order to provide a bearing surface for the fork lift tines of the loader (not shown), a bar 72 or 720 is placed in each slot 54 and is welded to the associated torsion beam flange 66,66a and to the adjacent walls of the panel channels 46 and 48. The bars 72,720 are reinforced by fabricated angles 74,74a which are disposed above each bar 72,720 and are welded to the adjacent panels and to the bar as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The V-shaped torsion box beams 64,64a of the upper tier 38 likewise includes flanged portions 75,75a and 76,764: which are welded to the associated side walls 30 and 32, respectively, adjacent the upper ends thereof. The torsion beams 64,64a are reinforced by pairs of angle brackets 77,77a (FIGS. 3 and 4) that are located below the front and rear wheels of the vehicle V, respectively, and are welded to the internal surfaces of the torsion beams 64,64a.

As mentioned previously, the end wall 28 (FIGS. 4 and is constructed from two corner panels 40 and from a center plate 44. Each panel 40 and the plate 44 are stiffened by horizontal channels 79, certain ones of which contact and are welded to the V-shaped torsion beams 60,6011; 64,6411, and end portions of two wheel receiving tracks and 82 of the lower tier 34.

The lower tier 34 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is upwardly inclined toward the end wall 28, and is constructed as a sub-assembly which includes two wheel receiving channel tracks 80 and 82 which have their upwardly extending inner flanges 84 interconnected by several transversely extending tubular bars 86. A pair of short, rear restraint tracks 88 and 90 extend from the open end 26 of the container 20 to a point slightly forward of the rear vehicle wheels 91 and are welded to the associated flanges 84 and to the associated tubular bars 86. A central restraint track 92, which track includes a forward end that is strengthened by a bar 94, extends forwardly of the front vehicle wheels 96 and is welded to all of the above referred to transverse tubular bars 86.

Included in the intermediate tier 36 is a restraint subassembly 98 (FIG. 3) which includes a twelve-guage sheet metal drip pan 100 having outwardly and downwardly extending side flanges 101, which during final assembly, are welded to the torsion beams 60,600. A pair of rear restraint tracks 102 and 104, and a central restraint track 106, which tracks are similar to the previously mentioned restraint tracks, are rigidly secured to the upper surface of the pan 100. As best shown in FIG. 8, the pan 100 is reinforced by a plurality of shallow channel members 108 which are spaced at even intervals from the open end 26 of the container 20 to a point near the front wheels 96 of the vehicle V that is supported on the second tier. Three deep, fabricated channel members 110 are welded to the lower surface of the pan 100 at points rearwardly, below, and forwardly of the front wheels 96 of the vehicle supported on that tier to more effectively support the pan in this area, which area is the front tie-down or restraint area. As illustrated in FIG. 3, end plates 112 are welded to the ends of the channel members 110, and during final assembly upwardly inclined plates 113 are welded between the end plates and the adjacent torsion beams 60,60a thereby resisting tie-down forces imparted by the front of the automobile to the central restraint track as will be explained in more detail later.

In order to more effectively resist side and vertical tie down forces imparted by the rear of the vehicle V to the rear tracks 102 and 104, a heavy bar 114 (FIG. 9) is disposed below each rear truck at the tie down points and is connected to the restraining section of the track by bolts. The tie-down points are further reinforced by pairs of channel brackets 116 (FIGS. 8 and 9) that are welded to the associated bars 114, to the corner of the associated torsion beams 60,600, and to the adjacent flanges of the drip pan 100.

An upper restraint sub-assembly 98' is included in the upper tier 38 and is identical to the restraint assembly 98 of the intermediate tier 36. Accordingly, the upper restraint sub-assembly 98' will not be described in detail, and the same reference numerals followed by a will be used to identify parts of the upper restraint sub-assembly 98'.

The roof 33 is likewise formed as a sub-assembly and is constructed of relatively thin 16 guage sheet metal. The roof comprises two corrugated side panels 120 and 122 which have angled support feet 124 and 126 formed on their lower ends. The side panels 120 and 122 are bent inwardly at 128 and 130, respectively, and are welded to a corrugated top panel 132 and to a flat end panel 134 to provide a weather tight enclosure except for its open end 26 (FIG. I). The flat end panel 134 is reinforced by two vertical channel members 135 (FIG. 4) welded thereto, and both ends of the roof are likewise reinforced by fabricated channel members 136 and 138 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

After all of the sub-assemblies have been separately manufactured as above described, the subassemblies are brought together for final assembly. During final assembly the two side walls 30 and 32 are welded to the end wall 28 at their mating corners and also at the points of contact of the torsion beams 60,60a, 64,640 with the associated horizontal end wall channel 79 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Three transversely extending fabricated box beams 150 (FIG. 4) which are relieved to receive the wheel supporting channels 80 and 82 of the lower tier 34 are then welded to the side walls 30 and 32 below the front restraint and front wheels of the vehicle to provide additional support for the lower tier at this point. Similarly, box beams 152 are welded to the side walls 30 and'32 below the rear wheel restraint areas. The subassembly which defines the lower tier 34 is then moved into the position illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and is welded in place.

The restraint sub-assembly 98 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the intermediate tier 36 is then moved into the shell of the container and when in place the flanges 101 are welded to the torsion beams 60,60a. The stiffening plates 113 are then welded in place. The restraint subassembly 98 is thereafter welded to the torsion beams 64,64a in a similar manner.

The roof 33 is then placed on the upper edges of the end wall 28 and side walls 30 and 32. The flanges 124 and 126 of the end panel 134 of the roof 33 are preferably welded to the upper edges of the end wall 28 and side walls 30 and 33, respectively. It will be understood, however, that the roof may be bolted to the walls if desired so that roofs of different sizes or shapes may be used to accommodate different size articles.

In order to lock each vehicle V in its associated tier, a front restraint 160 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and two rear restraints 162 are provided for each tier. The front restraints are slidably received in the associated center tracks 92,106 or 106', and the rear restraints 162 are slidably received in the associated rear tracks 88,90; 102,104; or l02',104 depending upon which tier is supporting the vehicle. Each front restraint 160 is locked to the front cross member of the vehicle frame 161 and prevents vertical and transverse movement of the front end of the vehicle V. The rear restraints 162 are locked to the vehicle frame 161 just forward of the rear wheels and prevents vertical, longitudinal, and transverse movement of the rear portion of the vehicle.

The restraints 160 and 162 are substantially the same except for possible height differences thereby compensating for different distances between the attachment portion of the different types of vehicles and the vehicle supporting surface. A transversely extending slot 163 (FIGS. 9 and l l) is formed in the front cross member and the rear portion of each vehicle frame at each point of attachment of one of the restraints. Since each restraint is substantially the same, only one of the rear restraints 162 associated with the intermediate tier 36 will be described in detail.

Each restraint 162 includes a horizontal bottom flange 164 (FIGS. 9 and 11), a vertical body 166, and

a horizontal automobile abutment flange 168. An oval head 170 projects above the flange 168 and is notched adjacent the flange 168 so that the oval head will fit through its connecting slot 163 in the vehicle frame 161 when disposed from its operative restraint position. The restraint 162 is placed in the slot 163 in the vehicle and is turned 90 to lock into the vehicle before the vehicle is moved into the container 20. As the vehicle V is moved into the container 20, the bottom flange 164 and body 166 will be slidably received in their associated tracks. The vehicle is then moved fully into the container 20 until the rear restraints 162 reach the closed end of their tracks 102 and 104. In order to lock the rear restraints 162 and the vehicle in the container 20, a latch 171 is pivoted by a pin 172 to the closed end of each rear restraint track 102 and 104. Each latch 171 includes a hooked portion 17 and an elongated handle 174 which extends to the open end 26 of the container 20. The handles 174 are moved to the position shown in FIG. 5 when loading the automobile, and are moved to the position shown in FIG. 10 when the restraints 162 are in shipping position thereby locking the restraints from longitudinal movement. Each handle is resiliently sprung over an angle member 176 on the associated tracks to secure them in locking position.

It will be understood that the vehicle V with the restraints and 162 attached are supported on a loading platform (not shown) that is lifted by a fork lift between the ground and the appropriate tier during the vehicle loading and unloading operations.

After three vehicles V have been loaded into the three tiers of each container 20 and the rear restraints 162 have been locked in place, a crane or fork lift vehicle which straddles the container and the railroad car then loads the containers 20 onto a railroad flatcar 22 (FIG. 12). Each container 20 is guided into proper position on the car by four corner abutrnents 180 welded to the body of the flatcar 22. The comer abutrnents 180 include spring loaded latches 182 which are urged outwardly into associated slots 184 formed in pads 186 welded to the sidewalls 30 and 32 as best shown in FIG. 1. Similar intermediate latches (not shown) are positioned to enter slots 187 provided in intermediate pads 188 on the side walls 30 and 32. In addition to the above, chains 190 are provided as safety features to assure that the shipping containers 20 are securely fastened to the railroad car 22.

The shipping containers 20 of the present invention are each designed to support three 55 hundred-pound vehicles; and when so loaded to withstand dynamic lateral forces equal to at least twice the force of gravity, to withstand vertical forces of at least three times the force of gravity, and to withstand longitudinal forces of at least six times the force of gravity.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the frameless shipping container of the present invention is simple and inexpensive to manufacture because the lack of a frame permits the containers to be made from a plurality of simple sub-assemblies on an assembly line basis. The sub-assemblies may be easily assembled when lying on a flat surface and may thereafter be brought together for final assembly. The use of only two types of fabricated sheet metal wall panels in combination with the V-shaped torsion bars also provides a strong, lightweight shipping container. The containers also have a long life since the torsion members tend to equally react to wracking forces, inherent in railroad transportation, throughout the length of the torsion members, as opposed to allowing high forces to be calized at specific points in the containers.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A frameless railroad shipping container comprising an end wall, a pair of side walls rigidly secured to the end wall at rear corners, a roof rigidly secured to the side walls and the end wall, each side wall being fabricated from a plurality of vertically elongated rigidly interconnected sheet metal panels, each sheet metal panel being formed from identically dimensioned stock and having an integral vertically extending channel formed therein and extending the full height thereof, said rear wall being formed from two of said panels and a flat plate rigidly connected together, and tier defining article supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy article such as a motor vehicle, each rear corner being formed from two of the panels disposed at 90 to each other with the channel on one panel rigidly secured directly to a planar edge portion of the other panel.

2. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said tier defining means is disposed in excess of the height of an article above the lower edges of said walls, and second tier defining article supporting means secured to said walls at a point above said first mentioned tier defining means spaced approximately the same distance away from said first mentioned tier defining means as said first tier defining means is spaced from the lower edges of said walls for supporting another heavy article.

3. A shipping container according to claim 2 and additionally comprising a third tier defining article supporting means secured to each wall near its base and being upwardly inclined toward said end wall.

4. A shipping container according to claim 2 wherein each tier defining means is adapted to support a vehicle weighing about fifty-five hundred pounds.

5. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said sheet metal panels are formed from twelve guage stock.

6. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said container has one end open for receiving or discharging articles, and wherein said tier defining article supporting means includes a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams for precluding lateral folding of the ends of said walls which define said open end, each torsion beam being rigidly secured throughout its length to the inner surface of one of said side walls and projecting inwardly a sufficient distance to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said side walls to distribute torsional forces imparted to the container equally throughout their lengths for minimizing localized stresses and for maintaining such stresses below critical buckling stresses.

7. A shipping container according to claim 6 wherein said torsion box beams are generally V-shaped with the apex of each beam facing inwardly, and wherein the article is a motor vehicle with its wheels being supported directly upon said torsion beams.

8. A frameless railroad shipping container having one end open for receiving and discharging articles comprising only one transverse wall, a pair of spaced side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes and being rigidly secured to said one transverse wall, a roof rigidly secured to the side walls and said one transverse wall, each side wall being constructed from sheet metal having a plurality of vertical stiffening channels formed therein, and tier-defining article-supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said vertical side walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy article thereon, said tier-defining article-supporting means including a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams which extend the full length of said side walls and serve to minimize lateral deflection of the ends of said walls which define said open end, each torsion box beam being rigidly secured throughout its length to the inner surfaces of one of said side walls and to said one transverse wall, each said beam projecting inwardly a sufficient distance from the inner surface of said one side wall to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said sheet metal side walls and vertical stiffening channels for distributing torsional forces imparted to the container more evenly throughout their lengths and for minimizing localized stresses and maintaining such stresses below critical buckling stresses.

9. A shipping container according to claim 8 wherein said torsion box beams are generally V-shaped with the apex of each beam facing inwardly, and wherein the article is a motor vehicle with its wheels being supported directly upon said torsion beams.

10. In a frameless railroad shipping container the combination of: a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes, a single laterally extending supporting means for rigidly securing only one end of each of said side walls in an upright position allowing the upper portion of the other open end of the side walls to deflect laterally, each side wall being constructed from sheet metal having a plurality of vertical stiffening legs integrally formed therein, and tier-defining article-supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy article thereon, said tier-defining article-supporting means including a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams which extend the full length of said side walls and serve to minimize lateral deflection of the other ends of said walls, each torsion box beam being rigidly secured at points throughout its length to the inner surfaces of one of said side walls and to said laterally extending supporting means, each said beam projecting inwardly a sufficient distance to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said sheet metal side walls and vertical stiffening legs for distributing torsional forces imparted to the container more evenly throughout their lengths for minimizing localized stresses and for maintaining stresses below critical buckling stresses.

11. A frameless railroad shipping container comprising a pair of spaced side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes, a rigid transverse end wall secured to the rear end portions of said side walls to hold said end portions in spaced relation and to prevent lateral movement of either end portion toward the other, said end wall to the side wall, said torsion beams resisting any tendency of a forward portion of either side wall to move laterally out of their parallel undeflected configurations by setting up a torsional stress in the beams which will be resisted by the beams due to their rigid connection to the walls. 

1. A frameless railroad shipping container comprising an end wall, a pair of side walls rigidly secured to the end wall at rear corners, a roof rigidly secured to the side walls and the end wall, each side wall being fabricated from a plurality of vertically elongated rigidly interconnected sheet metal panels, each sheet metal panel being formed from identically dimensioned stock and having an integral vertically extending channel formed therein and extending the full height thereof, said rear wall being formed from two of said panels and a flat plate rigidly connected together, and tier defining article supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy aRticle such as a motor vehicle, each rear corner being formed from two of the panels disposed at 90* to each other with the channel on one panel rigidly secured directly to a planar edge portion of the other panel.
 2. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said tier defining means is disposed in excess of the height of an article above the lower edges of said walls, and second tier defining article supporting means secured to said walls at a point above said first mentioned tier defining means spaced approximately the same distance away from said first mentioned tier defining means as said first tier defining means is spaced from the lower edges of said walls for supporting another heavy article.
 3. A shipping container according to claim 2 and additionally comprising a third tier defining article supporting means secured to each wall near its base and being upwardly inclined toward said end wall.
 4. A shipping container according to claim 2 wherein each tier defining means is adapted to support a vehicle weighing about fifty-five hundred pounds.
 5. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said sheet metal panels are formed from twelve guage stock.
 6. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein said container has one end open for receiving or discharging articles, and wherein said tier defining article supporting means includes a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams for precluding lateral folding of the ends of said walls which define said open end, each torsion beam being rigidly secured throughout its length to the inner surface of one of said side walls and projecting inwardly a sufficient distance to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said side walls to distribute torsional forces imparted to the container equally throughout their lengths for minimizing localized stresses and for maintaining such stresses below critical buckling stresses.
 7. A shipping container according to claim 6 wherein said torsion box beams are generally V-shaped with the apex of each beam facing inwardly, and wherein the article is a motor vehicle with its wheels being supported directly upon said torsion beams.
 8. A frameless railroad shipping container having one end open for receiving and discharging articles comprising only one transverse wall, a pair of spaced side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes and being rigidly secured to said one transverse wall, a roof rigidly secured to the side walls and said one transverse wall, each side wall being constructed from sheet metal having a plurality of vertical stiffening channels formed therein, and tier-defining article-supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said vertical side walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy article thereon, said tier-defining article-supporting means including a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams which extend the full length of said side walls and serve to minimize lateral deflection of the ends of said walls which define said open end, each torsion box beam being rigidly secured throughout its length to the inner surfaces of one of said side walls and to said one transverse wall, each said beam projecting inwardly a sufficient distance from the inner surface of said one side wall to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said sheet metal side walls and vertical stiffening channels for distributing torsional forces imparted to the container more evenly throughout their lengths and for minimizing localized stresses and maintaining such stresses below critical buckling stresses.
 9. A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said torsion box beams are generally V-shaped with the apex of each beam facing inwardly, and wherein the article is a motor vehicle with its wheels being supported directly upon said torsion beams.
 10. In a frameless railroad shipping container the combination of: a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes, a single laterally extending supporting means for rigidly securing only one end of each of said side walls in an upright position allowing the upper portion of the other open end of the side walls to deflect laterally, each side wall being constructed from sheet metal having a plurality of vertical stiffening legs integrally formed therein, and tier-defining article-supporting means secured to the inner surfaces of said walls intermediate the base and upper edges of said walls for supporting a heavy article thereon, said tier-defining article-supporting means including a pair of horizontally elongated torsion box beams which extend the full length of said side walls and serve to minimize lateral deflection of the other ends of said walls, each torsion box beam being rigidly secured at points throughout its length to the inner surfaces of one of said side walls and to said laterally extending supporting means, each said beam projecting inwardly a sufficient distance to directly contact and support the article, said torsion beams cooperating with said sheet metal side walls and vertical stiffening legs for distributing torsional forces imparted to the container more evenly throughout their lengths for minimizing localized stresses and for maintaining stresses below critical buckling stresses.
 11. A frameless railroad shipping container comprising a pair of spaced side walls lying in parallel substantially vertical planes, a rigid transverse end wall secured to the rear end portions of said side walls to hold said end portions in spaced relation and to prevent lateral movement of either end portion toward the other, said end wall being the only transverse wall in said container, a torsion beam extending along the inner face of each side wall intermediate its upper and lower edges from the forward end of the side wall to the rear end portion, each beam being rigidly secured to the associated side wall at spaced intervals along the length of the wall and to the end wall near the connection of the end wall to the side wall, said torsion beams resisting any tendency of a forward portion of either side wall to move laterally out of their parallel undeflected configurations by setting up a torsional stress in the beams which will be resisted by the beams due to their rigid connection to the walls. 